Diablo III 2.6.1 PTR Patch Notes Released

The 2.6.1 PTR patch notes have been released for Diablo III, bringing in a number of bug fixes and class changes.

One particular highlight is the alterations made to the Barbarian class, something that many fans have requested that Blizzard look into. Bloodshed wasn’t without it’s issues, with it’s performance being affected when players encounter high enemy density, more predominantly when combined with Whirlwind, Pain Enhancer and Gem of Efficacious Toxin.

The new Necromancer class has undergone changes too, based around it’s design philosophy. A visual effect that sees skeletons spawn around the Necromancer before charging into battle was appealing on the eye, but ultimately hinders gameplay as the class evolves through Set bonuses and Legendary powers. The Skeletal Warriors will now also have the same defenses as other pets that are in Diablo III.

A wealth of bug fixes have also been implemented, including an issue where the pet damage bonus could be lost after dying. Mimics created from Rabid Strike were also inheriting player’s bonus damage from Lashing Tail Kick, Seven Sided Strike, Cyclone Strike, Exploding Palm and Wave of Light incorrectly. On the subject of the Necromancer, there were problems with certain items being dropped for the class but couldn’t be equipped, as well as another bug being fixed where primary skills from taunting enemies when Boyarsky’s Chip is equipped were being prevented.